Name: Yasmin Kuymizakis (YEWS)
Age: 23
Occupation: Singer and student
My best holiday ever…
I was interested in what a guy from South Africa was saying when suddenly I found myself in a snow-filled bush
I really can’t decide. I’ve been to so many wonderful places like Paris, Bangkok and Amsterdam. I was always surrounded by good company.
Most of my holidays were music-related, for example I went to Belgium for my first ever festival; and Barcelona,London and Italy a million times, mainly to go to concerts or festivals.
Although the main reason is more often than not, concerts, I always make sure I have some time to explore the place.
Everywhere I go gives me something special to take back home with me. All my holidays were amazing in different ways, so I really can’t choose one just yet.
I would never return to…
A particular off-licence store in Kingston Upon Thames, where I tasted the most disgusting sandwich on the face of the earth. Coronation chicken sandwich (if it really was that) – too nasty. Whenever I think about it I feel sick.
The most dangerous place I’ve visited…
Bologna. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t call it dangerous to begin with, but we were two women, and from our last visit I can say that walking around Bologna at night is not such a good idea for women. Having a male around is a different story though.
That said, nothing happened to us, but we couldn’t help but feel tense when we walked in front of men, and our hostel was a 20-minute walk from the centre, so we weren’t surrounded by people all the time.
We had thought of many self-defence moves which we could have never accomplished anyway… but it was a good way to make each other feel a little safer.
My favourite city…
New York in the summer. There are amazing concerts every single day.
I wasn’t too impressed by Times Square and Fifth Avenue, but I found the quieter parts of this city appealing. People are friendly and the weather is great too.
There is so much to see that I felt a month wasn’t enough. You can also easily escape to a beautiful island (I went to Fire Island) and swim in the ocean (which is so much more fun than swimming in the sea).
My most memorable experience on an aircraft…
When I got to London in 10 minutes. Not literally of course, but that is what it felt like, and how my friend Aidan and I would prefer to describe this particular flight.
My most treasured holiday souvenir…
My concert tickets, band T-shirts, set lists, or whatever I manage to collect from a good gig. I don’t tend to lose those things.
My biggest gaffe abroad…
I can’t recall saying anything in particular, though I have embarrassed myself a couple of times.
Some years ago in Switzerland, my brother was living in a small village in the Alps called Kandersteg (amazing place). After a night out in a pub, we were walking with some people we had met and I remember being interested in what a guy from South Africa was saying when suddenly I found myself in a snow-filled bush. It came out of nowhere.
It was really embarrassing, but a very funny moment. My friend Clinton still mentions it these days…
The friendliest people…
The Irish. Perhaps starting to drink from noon isn’t so bad!
I never travel without...
My Visa pin code. Never again! I had picked on my friend Sarah for forgetting hers a few days before we went to Italy. But on the day we arrived at the airport I realised I had no idea what mine was!
Ideally, a camera and an Ipod are always close by, though I have the habit of misplacing things.
The taxi ride I will never forget…
Tuk tuk journeys in Bangkok are pretty unforgettable, but the taxi ride at the top of my list lasted one minute (this time literally) from the train station in Bologna to our hostel, because we were too scared to walk after an experience on the train.
I did feel special when I took Ban-Ki Moon’s place at the UN in New York
While waiting for the train at night after a Yann Tiersen concert, a woman came to speak to us. Let’s just say she was a little too friendly… asking all sorts of personal questions. Our imagination went all over the place after she began giving out creepy stalker vibes.
My all-time favourite holiday photo...
I don’t think I have a particular favourite, though I did feel special when I took Ban-Ki Moon’s place at the UN in New York! My brother works there so he was my escort. People aren’t usually allowed to visit that particular area, which makes it even more special.
An unforgettable hotel...
A hotel in London. My mum and I had just arrived in the evening and we were dead tired. The first thing we saw was body hair on our pillows and sheets. Maybe it was facial hair, or at least we hope it was facial hair.
I return most often to...
Without a doubt, London – I go there every year. I love that city. There are always loads of gigs and there’s so much to see. There’s always an exhibition worth checking out.
Apart from that, I know quite a few people who live there, so I also visit them.
My ideal travel companion...
A GPS since I’ve got such a bad sense of direction. That said, I don’t have one (and I’m not planning to buy one either).
Country with the best cuisine...
Italy. You cannot stop eating in Italy. Even though you’re too full, you cannot say no to another pizza al taglio. Impossible.
My next holiday plans…
I just came back from London a few weeks ago. My plan now is to move there in a couple of months. I’ve got plenty of other holiday plans for the future though.
My dream trip…
At this point in time it would be to visit Iceland, or Japan. Though there are so many other places I’d love to go to. Obviously I wouldn’t say no to traveling around the world, but I’m trying to be a little realistic in this case.
I partied hardest in…
Dublin, at a party organised by Ed Banger Records. Like I said before, Irish people start drinking early, and the people at this particular party seemed to be quite the party animals.
My travel tip…
Travel as much as you can and explore new places and cultures. Do not just visit the popular places. Quieter parts in a country or city sometimes have a lot to offer too. Be open to new things while taking precautions at the same time.